"Does it seem possible that this shabby old neighborhood ever looked like that delightful country-place!"
"It was the most beautiful residence anywhere around New York for a long while," said Corinne. "The grounds were fine too, and the big gateway to the estate was right where the corner of Spring and Macdougal streets is now. I thought you might like to read these books, Margaret, so I brought them for you. But oh, girls!" she ended; "right here and now I take the solemn determination that I will clear up this mystery if it takes me the rest of my life! I'll never be content till I know the explanation of it all. And, Margaret, I want you, if you will, to make a copy of the journal for me—not the cipher, but the plain English—so that I can refer to it whenever I want. Will you?"
"Indeed I will!" agreed Margaret. "We'll all help you in every way we can. And here's something else I've decided on. I'm going to change your office in this Antiquarian Club, Corinne, from just plain secretary to Chief Investigator!"
CHAPTER IX
INTRODUCING ALEXANDER
The Antiquarian Club continued to meet two or three times a week, but for some time the meetings were not enlivened with any further discoveries. Corinne grew quieter and more uncommunicative, Margaret restless and discontented. And as for the twins, now that the excitement had subsided and nothing further on that order appeared to be forthcoming, they became frankly bored with the proceedings of their society and were claimed once more by their basket-ball and tennis-playing companions.
Several afternoons Corinne went alone to the Charlton Street house and sat long with Margaret, going over and over the old account-book story. For neither of them did interest in the matter ever wane. And even though they appeared to have reached an insurmountable barrier, it did not utterly discourage them. The mystery was always there, and the unsolved riddle proved a constant lure.
Then one day Corinne came in, accompanied by the twins, and all seemed in rather high spirits.
"What's the news?" demanded Margaret at once. "Have you discovered something, Corinne?"